(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a golf practice range or driving range, and in particular to a golf practice range in which floating golf balls are hit towards island-type greens spaced within a body of water.
(2) Description of the Prior Art
Golf practice or driving ranges are frequently used by both amateur and advanced golfers to improve their golfing skills, as well as a convenient form of recreation. Generally such ranges are comprised of a land area or earthen fairway onto which golf balls are hit that extends outwardly from a front side edge for 300 yards or more. The width of the land area will differ from facility to facility, depending upon the number of players accommodated by the facility at a given time, and limitations imposed by adjacent properties.
The range includes a plurality of practice stations or tees aligned along the front side of the land area for use by the golfers. Each station includes a tee or mat upon which ball are placed. In more sophisticated ranges, each station may also include a device for feeding balls to each practice tee. The range may also include netting or other type of screens along one or more of the edges of the land surface to prevent incorrectly hit balls from escaping from the driving range.
The land area will normally include signs positioned at given distances from the practice stations, e.g., every 50 yards, to enable the golfer to determine the distance a ball is hit. In addition, the area may include flags positioned at various locations to simulate the greens of a regular golf course, so that the golfer can practice hitting toward a green. In order to retrieve golf balls hit into the area, a cart that includes a collection device is periodically driven over the area to collect balls from the surface. The collection device may be, for example, a rotary brush that brushes the balls into a container. After collection, the balls are returned to the play station area for reuse by the golfers.
Variations on this broad theme have been suggested by the prior art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,649,025 to Garland and U.S. Pat. No. 3,797,827 to Child, describe golf driving ranges that use a body of water instead of the above-described land area at the area into which balls are hit. In the ranges described in these patents, balls are hit into the water from play stations located along an edge of the lake or other body of water. The balls then sink to the bottom of the body of water, and are collected by a net or conveyor system that conveys the balls back to the play station area.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,163,677 to Foley describes a golf driving range that includes a man-made pond with a green positioned in the pond. Balls hit into the pond roll down an inclined surface at the bottom of the pond to a collection area where the balls are ejected into a collection basket.
Despite the number of driving range designs that now exist, there is still a need for a golf practice or driving range that offers the golfer the opportunity to hit balls toward green-type areas in an aesthetically pleasing environment. From the ease of operation, a facility providing for the ease of ball retrieval would be highly useful.